Customer Reviews

The Seventh Seal (Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(91)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I feel like a fool for not loving this classic examination of the
existence (or lack thereof) of both God and the meaning of life more.

I appreciate it, with it's stark, lovely photography, attention to
detail, marvelous performances, and sly dark sense of humor that
balances the portentousness of the subject matter, and makes the film
much easier to watch than my teen film-class memories of it.

On the other hand, while I appreciate the film's importance in cinema
history, and the bravery with which it tackles the biggest of issues in
a head-on, intellectual way, I find it just that - a very intellectual
experience, devoid of much in the way of emotion. I also find some of
the writing painfully preachy and on the nose.

Yet, in the end, I admire what it accomplished in its time, and how
well it holds up 53 years later.

And seeing as I went from not liking it at all, to liking it quite a
bit on my 2nd viewing, I'm open to what a third seeing might bring.

As almost goes without saying, the Criterion blu-ray transfer
is stunning, and worth buying for the strength of the images,
even if you struggle with the film. I'm glad I got it.

There was never a better showcase for black and white photography than Ingmar Bergman's "The Seventh Seal" with its stark contrasts and heavy symbolism. As such, Criterion's Blu-ray format enhances a beautiful and enduring film. Memorable scenes such as the chess game on the shore between Death and the knight gleam with breathtaking intensity. For those unfamiliar with the story, the knight (Max Von Sydow), returning disillusioned from the Crusades, challenges Death in order to gain time to save a family from the black plague. The clarity of Blu-ray seems to infuse this old masterpiece with renewed energy by bringing a sharper edge to the symbolic meaning, not only through the imagery but also, oddly, in the dialogue because, to some extent, the film is a synthesis of opposites. One of my favourite examples is the line: "If everything is imperfect in this world, love is perfect in its imperfection" (translated from Swedish, of course!). Highly recommended.

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS NO SPOILERS-

For those who've never seen this film: It's always best to see a film yourself before investing in its purchase, and that may go doubly so for this picture. The Seventh Seal is one of those "deep" foreign films which explores metaphysical concepts in a sometimes heavy-handed manner. However, the style will more likely reflect the sincerity of the director towards the material, rather than ignorance or immaturity- this is accomplished through consistency. There is bleakness, with humor oozing out of every pore. A black comedy, this is a film for those who can tolerate some high-falootin' ideas and speech with their entertainment. Perhaps you're so smart and mature that you'll already know and understand most of the questions posed by Bergman- but it's still never been done quite like this. Though it isn't everyone's cup of tea, it has earned it's right to at least a try by those who love film and certainly by those interested in foreign film.

For those who have seen this film: The DVD itself isn't the best one could imagine- there aren't any extra scenes, behind-the-scenes, director's commentary, whatever. However, it IS the best available and, if you care to wait another decade for a better version- well, the consumer knows best and we all have spending priorities to contend with. The commentary that comes with the disc is really bad, as some other reviewers noted- he really does speak the brutally obvious, but it can be kinda a fun for a one-time thing. The English dubbed version does indeed, as another reviewer commented, make the film appear more like some sort of western (or even samauri) movie. I kinda liked it. The film speaks for itself, so you already know whether or not you like it and wish to add it to your collection.

Finally, I'd like to comment on about how some reviews have been poo-pooing this movie for various reasons. Some folks seem to be judging the ideas in this movie poorly because, apparantly, it didn't totally change their lives or something. What did you expect? That Bergman had figured out the meaning of everything and this film is supposed to have the answer? It's simply another way of looking at things. Just because you think you know it all doesn't mean that other people are necessarily as "culturally sophisticated" as you, and haven't received an endless well of imagination and inspiration from this work. That is what this piece of film art has accomplished for countless people, and that is why it deserves 5 stars- even at the expense of other wonderful films.

I feel like a fool for not loving this classic examination of the
existence (or lack thereof) of both God and the meaning of life more.

I appreciate it, with it's stark, lovely photography, attention to
detail, marvelous performances, and sly dark sense of humor that
balances the portentousness of the subject matter, and makes the film
much easier to watch than my teen film-class memories of it.

On the other hand, while I appreciate the film's importance in cinema
history, and the bravery with which it tackles the biggest of issues in
a head-on, intellectual way, I find it just that - a very intellectual
experience, devoid of much in the way of emotion. I also find some of
the writing painfully preachy and on the nose.

Yet, in the end, I admire what it accomplished in its time, and how
well it holds up 53 years later.

And seeing as I went from not liking it at all, to liking it quite a
bit on my 2nd viewing, I'm open to what a third seeing might bring.

As almost goes without saying, the recent Criterion blu-ray transfer
is stunning. A film this image dependent deserves to be seen
in the best quality possible, and I'd urge you to consider the
blu-ray, or at least the Criterion DVD. I'm glad I got it.

This is of course one of the all-time great films, and the new Criterion release gives you an impeccable transfer of it, light and shadow stunningly sharp and clear. The feature-length interview documentary on disc 2 reveals much of the intimate connection between Bergman's life and his art, in his own words (it includes reflections on several films, not just The Seventh Seal). If you're only going to buy one Bergman on DVD, this should be it.

Despite what might sound like dark and depressing topic this movie is actually quite entertaining and I even found myself laughing a few times. This classic has received much praise throughout the years and I must agree with it all. Criterion has once again done a phenomenal job with the Blu-ray release. When you consider the age of the film and the even older equipment used to make it, the video quality is impressive. The special features are plentiful, including a feature-length documentary on Ingmar Bergman.

I recently watched the Criterion edition release of this film, The Seventh Seal, with some friends. Although the film's techniques -- innovative and startling in 1957 -- are somewhat cliche today, the film still packs a powerful message, which is that although we cannot know if God exists, it is still possible for us to perform meaningful acts in the time allotted to us.

The story focuses on the story of a Swedish knight, Antonius Block, returning to Sweden from the Crusades -- played by the ageless Max von Sydow. The knight and his squire, Jons, are on the way home through a land ravaged by the Black Plague. On a lonely beach, the knight encounters Death, played with admirable restraint, and a good dose of dry humor, by Bengt Ekerot. Before Death claims Block's life, the knight challenges him to a game of chess -- if Block wins, he goes free; otherwise, when the game is over, Death will come for him. In that Death is busy, the game is renewed throughout the movie.

The movie also focuses on a troupe of actors who are traveling along the same road as the knight. Block knows that Death plans to come for the young actor and his family, and by prolonging his game with Death and thereby distracting him, he enables the young family to escape.

The movie, although obviously shot with a very small production budget and featuring a very minimalist approach (it could well be a stage play), is haunting -- one thinks about the movie's simple lessons for days afterward.

The film has often been parodied -- by Woody Allen in Love and Death, or in the recent "Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey" where Death is forced to play games such as Twister and Battleship with the film's heroes -- but it is still well worth watching.

The Criterion edition features both a Swedish and English-dubbed soundtrack, as well as a commentary track from a noted film critic.

This film is absolutely amazing. It is one of the few movies I watch more than once or twice.
It is an achievment in style. The film manages to look amazing by virtue of Bergman's skill with lighting and cinematography alone. Especially compared to the big budget, color Hollywood titles of the time (such as The Ten Commandments) which look plastic despite their "special effects" and use of color (this film is black & white).
The subject of the movie is man's search for the meaning of life and the question of whether or not God exists. The film is both thought-provoking and blunt in its presentation of this subject and the answers which Bergman provides are suprisingly blunt.
The DVD quality is great, as it always is with Criterion Collection DVDs, and Peter Cowie's commentary is particularly good.

However, I will admit that this film is not for everyone. It also seems to require (for me anyway) one to be in a certain "mood" to view it. If you want to simply be entertained then this is not a film for you, but if you want to view a skillfully directed and wonderfully thought-provoking (if a bit dated) film then go for it.

Ingmar Berman(1918) established a challenging premise a chess mate between a knight from the Crusaders and the Death (Bengt Ekrot). If he wins, he'll live ; otherwise the Death will claim him . And this original duel happens after Sydow has left behind the misery, the plague and an unending war. He's deeply dissapointed with God and certainly he concludes that it doesn't exist.
This game will let exchange , scrutinize several ideas concerned with the faith , the silence of God and its own existence. God is a comfortable idea for the mankind ; it keeps them warmth , besides the man can dream with the hope of a celestial Paradise after this journey through this awful and miserable world. The ending sequence with the Dance of the Death is one of the most captivating and fascinating images in all the cinema story.
Many people state this is the Masterpiece : and obviously to me it's one of the three major achievements ; Persona and Cries and Whispers would be the rest .
But I've watched almost forty films of this brilliant swedish film maker and in his particular case ; a minor film from Bergman is above the average . So my advise is try to find out and watch all you can from this outstanding director.
This film won the Special Jury Prize 1957.
A timeless cult movie.

The film was produced in a world recovering from the devastation of WWII, and living in fear of the mushrom cloud.
A knight and his squire are returning home from the crusades. Disgusted and desillusionised by what he has experienced, the knight just longs to die. He has just one last wish: to find out why he has lived. Death does not care, but agrees to let him live for as long as they continue their chess game.
They travel through a land ravaged by plague, fear, and banditry. Helpless the knight sees the world falling apart around him. Everything he believed in as a young man has been tainted or proved false.
Death cheats in the chess game. In the end the knight loses, but he gains some solace when he saves a young family from Death. Still, he leaves this world as unknowing as he entered as a child.
This film has a tremendous impact on the mind. It deals with the big questions: Why am I here? Why does evil exist, and why is it so powerful? What can one human do to affect the world? The last question is the only one that is answered: small things, but small things are also important.
The acting is briljant, with Max von Sydow as the knight. The personification of Death has inspired writers as different as Woody Allen and Terry Pratchett.